I grew up where the trees blossomed during fall and wilted during the winter. Although the grass always looked dead, there was life on the streets. My name is Jasmin Gillespie. Jasmin Nicole Gillespie. I'm African American but have been told I have some Indian blood. I grew up in a neighborhood surrounded by the 404, the 770, the Marietta Square, and the Powder Springs Avenues. When I was 6 I moved to a nicer area of Marietta, my dad designed it from the ground up. Those were easier times, there were no kids in my neighborhood to grow up with and I lived a good distance from my school friends. I will never be able to experience the spontaneous meet-ups by the neighborhood pool or the school bus ride memories. But I'm older now, I can drive to spontaneous meet-ups and none of my friends have to ride the school bus anymore. It's not safe to hang around neighborhoods in this day and age so my friends and I find other places to hold our social sessions. But I sure do miss the old days....